


tune up and tune in

by libragirls



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Fluff, M/M, based on fanart, donald duck being an asshole, god how do you do this again, mechanic!riku, sora has a big crush and he's bad at hiding it, sora making bad decisions but like he means well
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-03
Updated: 2019-04-03
Packaged: 2020-01-01 10:50:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,580
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18334043
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/libragirls/pseuds/libragirls
Summary: Wrecking your gummi ship for a boy's attention isn't the worst idea Sora's had, but it definitely isn't his best either.In which Riku is Sora's gummi mechanic, and Sora just really likes spending time with him.





	tune up and tune in

**Author's Note:**

> this is the first fic i've written in literal years and the first i've posted in even longer so i'm a little nervous. it definitely isn't perfect but i'm actually happy with it which is all that matters! quick shout out and thank you to ren and ashley for encouraging me and helping me finish instead of giving up.
> 
> also most importantly this was inspired by yung-rage/ragewang's [fanart](http://yung-rage.tumblr.com/post/182973360692/the-best-thing-about-gummi-mechanic-riku-au-is) originally. they gave me permission to write this fic, so definitely take a look if you haven't.

“I still don't understand why we let you pilot the ship,” Donald grumbles, crossing his arms over his chest. “At this rate, we aren't even going to have a ship anymore!” he adds, glancing out the window towards the singed panels that look like they're hanging on for dear life.

“C'mon, Donald,” Sora replies easily, taking a hand off the controls to make a noncommittal gesture at his teammate. “I'm not _that_ bad. We survived, didn't we?” And, as if to punctuate his sentence, the ship lands on the ground of the garage, noisily and clumsy. Sora doesn't even have the decency to look apologetic, out of his seat and on his feet in record time. 

Goofy, ever the optimist, gives Donald a wide smile. “It'll be alright, Donald! The ship will be fixed in no time, you'll see,” he assures, unbuckling his seatbelt. Donald doesn't say anything, but he huffs in annoyance and follows suit. 

“I can't wait to show Chip and Dale the new blueprints we found,” Sora says, barrelling towards the doors and pushing them open with both hands. “Chip, Dale–,” he calls, but his voice trails off in surprise, because the two chipmunks aren't there, and someone else is. 

It's a guy that Sora's never seen before, because if he had Sora was certain he’d remember him. He's tall, shoulders broad and hair a pretty, silvery color. He turns around at the sound of Sora's voice, brows raised in surprise.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, Sora confirms that he would _definitely_ remember eyes that blue. _They look like the ocean_ , he thinks, nearly missing how the guy's mouth is moving, talking, and all Sora can manage is a very intelligent "huh?" 

The guy looks vaguely amused, the corner of his mouth twitching a little as he repeats, "I said that they'll be back in a bit. Is there something I can help you with?"

Sora blinks at the guy a few times before he stands a little straighter. "My ship-"

_-Our_ ship!” 

“– _Our_ ship needs some repairs,” Sora corrects begrudgingly, shooting Donald a look over his shoulder. “But we can wait until Chip and Dale are back,” he adds quickly, turning his attention back to the stranger. 

The guy shakes his head, offering Sora a smile. “It's fine, I can take a look. Do you want to show me the way?” he asks, already walking closer to where he stands. 

Sora nods, waiting until the guy gets a little closer before he starts to walk too. “Yeah, we landed out back,” he explains, before he pauses again, giving the guy another once over. “Um, what's your name?” 

“Riku. You're Sora, right?” 

Sora’s face lights up a little in excitement. “You've heard of me?” he asks, voice louder than he means for it to be. Riku huffs out something that like a laugh. Sora decides he likes the sound. 

“Of course,” he replies. “You're our number one customer.”

-

Riku, as it turns out, was hired by Chip and Dale to help with Gummi ship maintenance. Something about letting them focus more on blueprints and the teeny ships, and having Riku handle repairs and upkeep. 

Truthfully, Sora is only half-listening, too busy watching Riku work on the repairs with quick, deft fingers. Donald and Goofy have already wandered off elsewhere, but Sora stays behind. The work is surprisingly entertaining in a way it usually isn't when the two brothers are at work. 

“You're good at this,” Sora remarks eventually, leaning a little closer over Riku's shoulder to see better. “I'm definitely too clumsy for work like this.” 

Riku looks back at him, brow raised. “Aren't you supposed to be a keyblade master?” 

Sora laughs a little sheepishly, rocking back on his heels. “Yeah, well, don't tell anyone else I said this, but smacking heartless upside the head doesn't really require any finesse.” 

“I'm sure you're underestimating yourself,” Riku disagrees, turning his attention back to the ship beneath his hands. “If anyone could do what you do, anyone would. You shouldn't sell yourself short.” 

Sora stares at him, a bit taken aback. It isn't necessarily that his teammates and friends aren't supportive of him, but he's gotten used to Donald and Goofy nagging him about training and how he has “a lot to learn.” Hearing Riku say something so kind with such certainty has a warm feeling blossoming in Sora's chest. 

He must've been quiet for too long, because Riku glances at him again with a questioning look. “Are you alright?” 

Startled, Sora rubs the tip of his nose, laughing awkwardly. “Yeah, I guess I’m just tired,” he says, and it isn't a lie. He can feel fatigue weighing down on him now, even just standing here. 

“You can go lay down, if you want. This might take a while longer,” Riku suggests offhandedly. “I'll come let you know when I'm finished.” 

“Sure, I'll go do that,” Sora says slowly, taking a step back. “Thanks, Riku.” 

The small smile is back again, just for a second, before Riku focuses his attention once more. “No problem.”

For some reason, Sora finds that he can't stop smiling as he walks away. 

-

Sora isn't sure how long he's been asleep, but when he wakes up it's because Goofy is nudging him gently, saying something about how its time to get going. 

He sits up slow, eyes heavy lidded and unfocused. “The ship is ready?” he asks around a yawn, stretching his arms over his head. When he's finished stretching, he sits up a little straighter, craning his head from side to side. “Where's Riku?” 

“I think he went to sleep. It's late, and he's been working all night,” Goofy explains, helping Sora to stand on his feet. 

A feeling of mild disappointment settles over Sora, and he can't keep himself from frowning, just a little. “I wanted to say thank you,” he admits, rubbing at the back of his head. A strange expression crosses over Goofy's face, like he wants to say something, but isn't sure what. Sora doesn't push him, offering him a reassuring smile instead. “It's alright! There’s always next time.” 

They begin the walk back towards the garage in a comfortable silence. Sora can't help but glance over at where Riku had been working before, now empty and with the lights dim. The sense of disappointment returns again. 

Impulsively, he stops, and gives Goofy another smile, this one more apologetic. “Go on ahead, I'll be right back. I forgot something.” He jogs over to Riku's workstation, parts and blueprints sprawled across it. He scans over his belongings for a pen and piece of paper, ripping a small scrap off haphazardly. 

In quick, messy handwriting, he writes _‘Thank you for your help, Riku!’_ and signs his name. He pauses for a minute, and then adds a little smiley face too, and tapes it to the wall in front of the desk. It's not quite the same as saying it to Riku’s face, but Sora decides it's good enough, and goes back to the Gummi ship feeling almost satisfied. 

-

About a week later, Sora finds himself back at the garage for maintenance and some upgrades. The offensive gummi's they've had equipped until now just aren't cutting it anymore, not as the worlds they travel to get increasingly difficult to approach. The further they go, the bigger and stronger the heartless get, the longer it takes to whittle away at their defenses. 

It's a little disappointing to have another setback, but Sora finds himself excited to be back at the garage. He likes upgrading the ship and showing off the new blueprints they've found, and also likes the opportunity to give Donald and Goofy a rest. And, secretly, maybe a little selfishly, he wants to see Riku, too. 

They only spoke for a little while, but Sora likes to think they're friends. Or they could be, if they got to talk a little more. It’s a nice thought.

When Sora steps into the garage, blueprints in hand, he looks around quickly and curiously. There's no one in sight, so he clears his throat and calls out, “Hello?” A beat passes, and Sora can hear some shuffling around the corner. Another second, and then he sees Riku step into the room, wringing his hands clean with a towel. 

“Sora,” he says, not a question. “You're back so soon. Is everything alright?” A look of concern crosses his face, brows furrowed. “Is something wrong with the ship?” 

Sora laughs a little, waving his free hand dismissively. “Yes and no. The work you did was fine; we just need some general upgrades. Things are getting tougher out there, you know.” 

A line of tension leaves Riku's shoulder, his expression softening as well. “That's good,” he hums, and looks at the paper in Sora's hands. “Are those the blueprints?” 

“Huh? Oh, yeah,” Sora says, and holds them out to Riku. “I brought them in case you needed some ideas.” 

Riku takes the blueprints with a shadow of a smile, unfurling the paper and giving it a quick once over. “These are definitely helpful, thank you. I'll look them over, and you can tell me what you need,” he says, and begins to walk over to his desk. 

Sora follows close behind, crossing his arms behind his head as he walks. “We definitely need some better offensive gummies, and probably some better defense too. Those are the main problems,” he explains as Riku takes a seat. 

“Sounds doable,” Riku murmurs, pressing down the paper and clipping it into place. “Have you brought all the pieces we might need?” 

“I think so.”

Riku smiles at that, and pats a space on the workbench beside him, shifting a little to the side to make room. “You can tell me any specific modifications you want me to make,” he continues once Sora has settled beside him. There's just enough room for the both of them, legs and arm pressed gently together as they crowd together in front of the paper. In the back of his mind, Sora thinks he's very warm. “And I can tell you if it can be done.”

Shifting his focus back to the ship, Sora leans forward to look over the blueprint. He runs his fingers over the design, lips pursed as he thinks. “I like this one for its speed, but I do think we need better mobility, too,” he explains, and flicks his gaze to Riku to gauge his reaction. 

Riku presses a finger over his lips thoughtfully, brow pinched as he stares. He looks focused, but there's something like a sparkle in his eyes as he considers and thinks. Sora swears he can almost see the gears turning in his head, and the thought makes him grin a little bit. 

Eventually, Riku turns his attention back to Sora. “I can do that. It might take a few days, though. Is that okay?” 

“Of course!” Sora says enthusiastically, and gives him a thumbs up. “Take all the time you need.”

Reassured, Riku smiles again, wider than before. “Good. Do you mind hanging out a bit longer? And we can work out the details and any major adjustments.” 

The idea of helping excites Sora more than it should, and he nods quickly, leaning closer. “That sounds like fun,” he agrees, and points back towards the paper in front of them. “I was thinking that we could use more padding upfront, and…” 

-

It takes a little while, but eventually the two of them manage to hash out all the details and adjustments for the new design. Sora finds himself both excited for the changes, and mildly disappointed when he's run out of suggestions to pitch to Riku. 

Talking with Riku is _fun_ , more fun than Sora had expected. He feels a twinge of triumph everytime he gets the other boy to smile or laugh, and feels even better when Riku jokes with him. It's like being around an old friend, almost. 

_This is definitely better than talking to Cid or Chip and Dale_ , Sora thinks unapologetically, watching as Riku caps his pen and stretches his arms out above him. Impulsively, he decides to tell Riku just that. 

The words seem to take Riku aback, eyes widening a little bit. Sora thinks that maybe his cheeks look pinker than before, but he attributes it to the fluorescent lights on the desk in front of them. 

“I'm glad you think so,” Riku replies eventually, scratching at his cheek with a sheepish look. Comfortable silence settles between the both of them until Riku eventually sits up straight, pressing his hands against the table. “I better get to work.” 

Sora nods, standing up from the workbench. “I'll leave you to it, then,” he agrees, albeit a little begrudgingly. He glances back towards the blueprint as Riku gathers it up, and something catches in the corner of his eye. 

The little note he had left behind when they had met is still taped up to Riku's wall, untouched. The sight of it makes Sora smile unconsciously; he figured Riku would've thrown it away. 

Riku must notice his expression, because he asks, “what's up?” 

Sora points at the note and grins. “You kept it,” he says simply, unable to keep his satisfaction from seeping into his tone. 

If Riku wasn't blushing before, he definitely is now. “Why wouldn't I keep it?” he asks, a little defensive. 

“It's cute,” Sora tells him, because it is. Riku looks like he kind of wants to die, which is also, surprisingly, cute. He comes to the quiet conclusion that _Riku_ is just very cute. Sora smiles wider. 

Before Riku can answer, Sora claps him on the shoulder. “I'll let you work now,” he says cheerfully. “Thanks for letting me keep you company. I'm gonna go check on Donald and Goofy.” 

Riku blinks at him, shoulders sagging a little bit. “Alright,” he agrees slowly. “I'll come find you if I have any other questions.” 

“Please do,” Sora says encouragingly as he backs away from where Riku sits. “See you later, Riku!” He waves, turning on his heel and jogging out. 

Just like before, he can't seem to shake the smile splitting his face, or the weird warmth he feels in his chest, but Sora finds he doesn't really mind either. 

-

It takes a questionable amount of self-restraint and nagging from Donald about bothering people to keep Sora from going back to check on Riku and talk with him again that day. He busies himself with some training and testing out his newer Keyblades, until he tires himself out enough that he goes to one of the spare rooms to sleep. 

He passes the garage with a yawn, and distantly he can hear the sound of tinkering. The light is still on, too, and Sora has half the mind to peek inside and see if Riku is still working, but Donald and Goofy usher him forward instead. 

_Tomorrow, then,_ Sora thinks to himself as he settles into one of the makeshift beds. 

In the morning, Sora passes the garage again and swears he can still hear someone shuffling around inside. He frowns a little bit, wondering if Riku had gone to bed, or if he had taken a break at all since he had last seen him.

Sora walks towards the kitchen with a renewed sense of purpose, and makes quick work of gathering an assortment of different fruits. He finds bread in one of the cabinet and toasts it, too, while he pours a cup of coffee. He doesn't know if Riku even likes coffee, or how he likes it for that matter, but he stuffs some sugar packets into his pocket haphazardly before beginning his balancing act back towards the garage. 

Once inside, the garage is seemingly empty. Sora sets the coffee and toast down on the table carefully, keeping one of the apples in his hand. 

“Riku?” he calls out, walking around the Gummi ship that is almost unrecognizable in its current state. 

To his surprise, Riku appears from underneath the ship, laid flat on a creeper. His face is smudged and his bangs are stuck to his forehead with sweat, but he smiles when he sees Sora. 

“Good morning,” he says easily, pushing against the front of the ship until he's far out enough to sit up. “You're up pretty early.” 

“I could say the same for you,” Sora points out, taking a step back so that Riku has room to get to his feet. “Did you even go to sleep last night?” 

The look on Riku's face turns a little sheepish as he wipes the back of his hand over his forehead. “I'm not tired,” he says instead of really answering, but the bags under his eyes are telling enough. 

Sora chooses to ignore that for now, and instead holds out an apple to Riku. “I brought you some stuff to eat. Some coffee, too,” he adds, turning towards the desk to grab the mug. “I wasn't sure how you liked it, but I grabbed some sugar just to be sure.” 

Riku seems surprised at first, attention shifting between both the apple and the coffee up on the desk, before his expression softens into something a little bit gentler. “Thanks,” he says, reaching out to take the mug from him first. “Could I see some of the sugar?” 

After handing him the handful of packets, Sora settles onto the workbench and bites into a piece of toast. He watches Riku tear open two packets and dump them into the cup, and makes a mental note for next time. “You should take a nap after this. It's not good to overwork yourself,” he says matter-of-factly, wagging a finger at Riku as he chews. 

“Is that why you brought me coffee?” Riku retorts sarcastically, words muffled around the rim of his mug. 

Sora pauses, having not considered that before. “Well, after the caffeine wears off, then,” he amends, and Riku laughs quietly. He waits until Riku has taken a few more sips before he asks, “have you ever flown in one of these ships before?” 

Riku hums thoughtfully. “If you're asking me if I've been to a lot of other worlds, the answer is no. I've only been here, and home,” he explains. 

Sora leans forward, propping his chin into his palm. “Would you want to go to other worlds?” he presses insistently. 

“Of course. Who wouldn't?” 

Immediately, Sora sits up. “Once the ship is fixed and there are less…things for me to do, you should let me take you around.”

“Wait, really?” Riku raises his brows, and looks a little disbelieving. 

Sora nods earnestly, getting more excited as he recounts his adventures. “Yeah! There are so many interesting worlds out there with so many interesting people! Like, Arendelle was so cold but it was really beautiful, and Corona had the coolest lantern festival, too! Oh, and Port Royal was so cool—” 

“—Port Royal?” Riku echoes, leaning forward unconsciously. That sparkle from before is back in his eyes, wide and curious. Somehow, he looks a lot younger, and less tired than before, too. “Like, pirates?” 

“Yes!” Sora exclaims and stands up to pull his Gummi phone from his back pocket. “I have to show you some of the pictures I took,” he laughs, tapping at the screen quickly until he comes to his photo gallery. “C'mere!” 

Riku settles onto the workbench beside him, crowding in close to look at the screen in both of Sora's hands. They click through the pictures together, asking questions as Sora rambles to explain the things he’s seen and the people they've met through the worlds. There's so much to cover––toys that move on their own, talking snowmen, lost princesses. 

Eventually, Sora scrolls through until he finds a certain photo. It's a selfie he had taken on his ship back in the Caribbean. Riku leans in to get a better look, and tentatively reaches out to grab Sora's wrist and pulls the phone closer to see. The little touch sends a zip up Sora's arm that he pointedly ignores, waiting to see what Riku has to say.

After scrutinizing the picture for a few seconds he says, “You look different here.” 

“It's Donald's magic. World order, and all of that,” he replies easily. “In one world, we were turned into actual toys. I was, like, _this_ big.” He demonstrates with his thumb and forefinger. 

Riku’s mouth twitches up into a mocking smile. “Not a huge difference, then,” he teases, eyeing Sora up and down. 

Embarrassed, Sora pushes lightly at Riku's shoulder. “Ha ha, very funny. I'm not that much shorter than you!” 

“You barely come up to my chest.” 

“That is so not true.” 

Riku is grinning now. “Oh yeah? Prove it.” 

Not one to back down from a challenge, Sora quickly gets to his feet again. “Fine! Stand up,” he demands, making room for Riku to rise up. Riku, still amused, sets his mug down and stands, too, staring at Sora expectantly. 

When they're both up, Sora crowds in close to him until there's only a handful of inches between them. “See? I'm at _least_ up to your shoulders,” he says, crossing his arms over his chest. 

Riku hums thoughtfully, tapping at his chin as he stares down at Sora. “I'm not sure, I think your hair gives you a couple of inches. It's so spiky.” 

“Those inches count!” 

Riku raises his hand from his side with a soft laugh, and places it directly on top of Sora's head, pressing his hair down with it. The touch makes Sora's heart jump for some reason, and he finds himself uncharacteristically still for a moment. 

After a second, Riku moves his palm from Sora’s hair back towards himself, coming up to his collarbone, and then back again. “I think you’re giving yourself too much credit,” he teases, laughing harder at the way Sora wrinkles his nose as he fixes his hair. 

“Yeah, yeah,” Sora huffs, tone petulant. His face feels a little hot, and he hopes Riku can't tell. “You're gonna regret making fun of me when I end up towering over you,” he points out, and Riku rolls his eyes good naturedly, putting a hand on his hip. 

“I'm shaking in my boots,” he says with faux sincerity, before he lets out a small sigh and taking a half step back. “I should get back to work.” 

“Oh,” Sora says, dropping his arms back to his side. The same feeling of disappointment creeps up on him. “Then I should probably go. I don't wanna bother you if you're gonna be busy.”

Surprisingly, Riku shakes his head. “You don't have to go, if you don't want to. I don't mind the company.”

“Really?” Sora asks, trying not to sound too eager. “I'd love to help!” 

“It's not that fun,” Riku points out, but he looks happy even as he steps back towards the ship.

“I don't know, I've been having a lot of fun talking with you,” he points out, and he means it. Riku looks a little flustered again, but he's still smiling. 

-

After a couple of hours of working alongside Riku, Sora comes to a couple of conclusions about his new friend. He makes a mental list to keep track of them.

Riku really likes to hear about the places Sora's been, but he's especially intrigued about the pirates at Port Royal. He tells Sora it's because when he was a kid, he always wanted to be the captain of a ship. Sora also adds this to a second list of things he finds endearing about him.

He also likes working on the ships because it reminds him of a puzzle, and he feels accomplished when he solves something (the expression he makes when he's connected the dots for something also goes on the second list). 

Riku has really, _really_ nice arms. It's not that Sora's staring or anything, it's just hard _not_ to notice. It’s Riku's fault, anyways. He's always moving things and lifting them, or holding his hand out to Sora so he can hand him a tool, or is just reaching up to wipe at his face or something. Sora would have to be blind not to notice them. 

Distantly, he wonders if Riku likes to work out or something. Sure, working as a ship mechanic is probably an exercise in and of itself, but Sora's pretty certain there’s more to it than that. He looks like he could carry the weight of the world on his shoulders and not even break a sweat. 

Sora’s snapped out of his thoughts when Riku reappears from underneath the ship, huffing out a deep sigh as he wheels himself backwards.

“You alright?” Sora asks tentatively, cocking his head to the side to get a better look at him. 

Riku throws his forearm over his eyes and nods. “Just tired,” he admits, not even bothering to sit up, staying flat on the creeper. Sora can't see his face properly, but he can tell he's exhausted.

“You should take a break, and take a nap,” Sora says, echoing his suggestion from earlier. 

The corner of Riku's mouth twitches into a frown, uncertain. “Maybe,” he mumbles, but makes no move to get up from where he lays. 

Sora waits another second, wringing his hands together before he tries again. “Riku? You… you gonna get up?” he asks tentatively.

“Probably,” is the muffled, one word reply he gets.

He slides off the bench to crouch beside Riku, and pokes him gently in the side. Riku makes a noncommittal noise but doesn’t budge. “Do you need help standing or something?” 

Riku shakes his head minutely, and peels his arm away from his face. He turns slightly to look at Sora, who immediately offers him an encouraging smile. “I just don't want to lead to any setbacks or anything.” 

“I think I'd be more annoyed if you _didn't_ take a break. You've been at this since yesterday,” he points out. 

Eventually, Riku sits up straight, brows drawn together in a hesitant expression. “I guess I'll go take a shower, then. Maybe a nap,” he murmurs thoughtfully before pushing himself up to his feet. 

Sora rises too, giving Riku a cheeky look. “You could use the shower especially,” he tells sweetly, and doesn't miss how Riku rolls his eyes, nudging him gently. 

“Very funny, Sora,” he jokes, but he doesn't look upset. “I'll work some more on the ship later.” He rubs the back of his neck and offers Sora a tired half smile. “Thanks for keeping me company.” 

Sora grins back, waving his words away flippantly. “Don't even worry about it. I'll come sit with you again after you've rested,” he promises. 

“I'd like that,” Riku says, tone sincere as he starts walking towards the door. “See you later,” he adds, waving a little before he turns the corner and disappears from sight.

Once alone, Sora lingers in the garage for a minute longer. He rubs at his nose, like he's trying to conceal his smile, before he follows in suit. 

Later, he thinks maybe Donald and Goofy are whispering about him and giving him weird looks, but he doesn't comment on it. 

-

“You've been smiling a lot lately,” Donald comments slyly, a little while after they've left the Gummi garage and started back on their journey. 

“I'm always smiling,” Sora says, both defensive and a little confused. He adjusts his grips on the handles of the ship, and glances back at Donald from the corner of his eye. 

The smug look on Donald's face doesn't change, eyes narrowing as he stares at Sora. “No, this is different,” he says certainly. “You're smiling _because_ of someone.” 

Sora decides he doesn't like the look Donald's giving him, so he turns his attention back to the window in front of him. “You're imagining things,” he mumbles, sinking a little lower into his seat. 

He had been thinking about Riku, and how they had said goodbye earlier in the day. The ship was finished by sunrise, but this time Riku was still awake when they had decided to leave. 

Sora had gotten excited, telling Riku that he was happy he got to thank him in person this time around rather than leaving another note. Riku, with a tired smile, had pulled Sora into a sudden, quick hug. 

“Be safe, and good luck,” he had said, squeezing Sora once before letting him go again. 

Another unconscious smile tugged at Sora's lips as he remembered the exchange again. Riku had been so warm and strong, and his hug was extremely comforting. He kind of really wants to hug him again—

“Sora, look out!” Goofy’s loud voice jolts him back to reality, just soon enough for Sora to narrowly avoid knocking the ship into an asteroid. The rock skids across the side of the ship instead with an uncomfortable sound. 

“Sorry, sorry!” He winces, shaking his head to clear his thoughts. He sits up straighter again, and Donald makes an agitated noise behind him.

“Be more careful,” Donald chides, obviously irritated as he adjusts his seatbelt. “It would be terrible to have to bring this back to the garage after Riku just finished working on it.” 

Sora shrugs flippantly, twisting the handles until the ship loops around a cluster of rocks. “I don't know, I wouldn't mind it,” he admits, thoughts drifting back to Riku and the garage. Behind him, Donald and Goofy erupt into badly disguised laughs. Sora twists his head to look back at them, brows furrowed accusingly. “What's so funny?” 

“Of course you wouldn't mind,” Donald says around his laughter. 

“Yeah,” Goofy agrees, “cause you like Riku.” 

Sora makes a face at them. “Of course I like Riku. He's my friend,” he tells them, uncertain of what amuses them about that.

“No, you _like_ him,” Donald emphasizes, and it clicks into place what he means. 

Sora's entire face runs hot, mouth dropping open. “That's— I don't—” he begins, struggling to find the right words. Donald and Goofy only laugh harder. “Stop laughing!” 

Frustrated, he turns his attention back to driving the ship. He tries to focus on steering, but his mind can't stop racing. Sure, Riku is kind and handsome, and Sora likes spending time with him and talking with him, and being around him makes Sora feel more comfortable than he remembers feeling in a long time, and….

“Oh god,” Sora says aloud as the realization dawns on him. His cheeks and ears feel like the sun. “I like Riku.” 

The snickering starts back up behind him again, but Sora’s thoughts drown them out. 

_I have a crush on Riku_ , he thinks to himself, bewildered. The thought almost makes him smile, until he realizes he probably won't see him again for a while. He has no reason to go back to the garage when the ship is in top condition, and he doubts Donald and Goofy would appreciate anymore unnecessary detours. 

In what's either a moment of brilliance or possibly one of the worst ideas Sora's had, he thinks, _If the ship gets banged up again, I can stop by for another visit._

He can't be obvious about it, though. He’s certain that it won't take much before Goofy and Donald realize what's going on. But, he doesn't think it’ll be too unusual if he flies into some tight spaces or something of the like. They're always ragging on his ability to fly the ship anyways. 

Besides, it's not like he's going to actively put them in danger or anything. Sora's not an idiot. 

-

“Wow,” Riku says with a low whistle, running his palm over the dented side of the ship slowly. He doesn’t seem upset, but rather he looks impressed as he considers the damage done. “You really did a number on the ship this time.” 

It honestly is impressive, considering it’s only been a little longer than a week since the last time they were here. 

Off to the side, Sora laughs sheepishly. He tried to be subtle with the amount of damage the ship had taken, but as he looks over at the ship he can’t help but feel like he _might_ have gone overboard. “Yeah, well, sometimes our luck just runs out,” he replies, maybe a touch too loud. He hopes that Riku won't notice. 

Riku gives him a curious look, before shaking his head. Sora's fairly certain his heart almost stopped. “What happened out there?” he asks, crouching down beside the ship to begin peeling away at the side panels. 

Sora leans against the nearby wall, trying to come across as nonchalant. He crosses his arms over his chest for good measure. “Oh, you know, the usual,” he laughs, waving a hand dismissively. “Couldn't dodge a couple attacks, knocked into a few asteroids, the works.” 

“You should be more careful.” 

“I try to be,” Sora rushes to say but winces as the words come out. God, he's such a bad liar. Donald and Goofy aren't even in the room, but if they were he's sure they would've burned a hole in the back of his head by now. 

Oblivious, Riku glances at Sora and gives him a reassuring smile. The sight of it makes it feel like something in Sora is melting. “I know. The good news is that it probably won't take that long for me to fix this. A couple hours at the most,” he tells him, pushing himself up until he's standing again. 

Sora almost expresses his disappointment before he catches himself, instead choosing to rub the back of his head with a forced laugh. “We'll probably stay overnight, though. Don’t rush yourself this time.” 

“I won't,” Riku insists, moving towards his desk to sift through his tools. After a moment, he asks, “Would you want to come into town with me later? I have to pick a few things up.”

The offer makes Sora stand upright, a bright grin splitting his face. “Yeah, that sounds like fun!” 

“We can go after dinner, then,” Riku decides, picking up a wrench and twisting it between his fingers. “If you want to go rest, I'll come find you.” 

Sora doesn't want to leave the garage, not really, but he's fairly certain if Riku asks anymore questions about the ship he's going to embarrass himself. “Alright,” he agrees, pushing off the wall. “See you after dinner!” 

-

That evening, they roam the streets of Radiant Garden at a leisurely pace, Sora's arms crossed behind his head comfortably. The silence is pleasant between them, but eventually he asks, “What do you like to do for fun?” 

Riku glances up at Sora when he speaks, before turning his attention back towards the sky in thought. “I like working on the ships, but I also like to read and exercise,” he says eventually. 

Sora hums, lowering his arms down to his sides. “What's your favorite color?” 

“Yellow.” Riku answers faster this time, and raises a brow quizzically at the look Sora gives him. “What?”

“Just surprised,” Sora admits, before continuing on. “What about eating? What’s your favorite food?”

This time, Riku just laughs a little instead of responding. “Why do you wanna know so much? How come I don't get to ask any questions?” he presses. 

Sora shrugs his shoulders. “I just wanna know more about you. But if you have questions, you can ask,” he tells him, making a wide gesture with his arms. “Go on, hit me with your best shot.” 

Riku considers for a moment before he asks, “What's it like being a Keyblade wielder?” 

It wasn't the kind of question Sora expected, and he blinks at Riku in surprise. He rolls his words over in his head carefully, not wanting to give out a half-baked response. 

“It's nice,” he decides eventually. “I like the adventure, and the people I've met, and the places I've been, but….”

“But?”

Sora frowns a little bit. “Sometimes it’s overwhelming, and I wonder if I'm not doing enough, or if the Keyblade made a mistake choosing me. Like, maybe I'm in way over my head.” He isn't really sure why he feels the need to be so honest with Riku, but he doesn’t want to lie to him. It feels a little weird, saying it out loud, but Sora can't help but feel relief too. Like he let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. 

Hesitantly, he looks back to Riku. He waits to see if he looks disappointed, or worse, maybe he'll agree that Sora isn't doing enough. The thought sends a wave of discomfort over him, hands clenching by his sides.

Instead, Riku just looks thoughtful. “I think that anyone in your position might feel that way,” he begins, words slow and careful. “But you've helped a lot of people, and done a lot of good. No one can fault you for having doubt, or making mistakes. You're doing the best you can, and I think that's really all anyone can ask of you.” 

Sora isn't sure when he stopped walking, but he can't seem to bring himself to move, staring at Riku instead. There's this itch in the tips of his fingers and behind his eyes, and he has to take a deep breath to keep himself from tearing up. 

Riku, realizing that Sora isn't following him anymore, stops as well. He turns and throws him a smile, kind and genuine. “You alright?” 

Before Sora can help himself, he blurts, “I'm really glad I met you!”

“I'm glad I met you too,” Riku says, walking back to Sora's side so they can continue to walk together. Something in Sora's heart lurches when he comes close, but he squashes it down and steels himself. 

“Here's another question. What's more annoying to fight, heartless or nobodies?” 

Taking a breath, they begin to walk once more. “Nobodies for sure,” Sora decides. “They're a lot more…wiggly.”

The description makes Riku laugh, and Sora finds that the sound of it puts him at ease. 

It doesn't take them long to make it back to the garage, or maybe it's just that Sora is enjoying himself too much to care. The sun has set since they've left, and most of the lights are off everywhere else.

“I’m gonna work on the ship so it’s ready by morning,” Riku says once they're inside once again, hovering by the door. 

Immediately, Sora makes a face and turns to look at him. “It’s not good to pull all-nighters,” he chides, and he doesn't miss the little smile Riku gives him. 

“I won't,” he promises, the look in his eyes something soft and kind. “I’ve just got a few things to do, and then I'll go to bed.” 

Satisfied with the response, Sora nods and returns his smile. “Good,” he tells him, taking a half-step back. “Thank you again, Riku. I'll see you in the morning?” He tries not to sound too hopeful. 

“Of course,” he agrees easily, pulling the door open part way. Before he steps inside, he glances back once more. “Good night, Sora.” 

Somehow, Sora smiles even wider. “Good night, Riku.” 

-

Just when Sora is starting to think he might be getting away with this charade, he makes the mistake of dodging directly into enemy fire. They're weak heartless, so their attacks don't _do_ a whole lot of damage, but it does jostle the ship along with them inside it. 

“You're doing that on purpose!” Donald accuses once the ship is upright again. 

Sora makes a point of not looking back at him, instead focusing on aiming the blasters towards the heartless and firing rapidly. “It was an accident,” he lies, watching as the enemies go up in smoke and the pink hearts drift overhead. 

Unfortunately, Donald doesn't buy it. “Once is an accident, but you’ve been flying worse than usual for the last few weeks!” he says, and looks at Goofy for support. “You've noticed it too, right?” 

“He's right, Sora,” Goofy agrees, and he sounds less irritated than Donald. It doesn't really make Sora feel much better, though. “What's gotten into you?” 

He doesn't know how to defend himself, not really, so instead he says, “It's you guys’ fault for giving me the idea!” 

Confused, both his teammates share a look. “We never told you to beat up the ship!” Donald points out. “What would Kairi say if she saw you doing this?” 

Sora almost says that he's pretty sure if Kairi saw Riku she would support this, but he bites his tongue instead. 

Frustrated with himself, Sora slumps back in his seat. “I just wanted to spend more time with Riku, okay?” he says, the words coming out in an almost unintelligible rush. It's embarrassing to admit it outloud, but he thinks he likes it better than lying. “I wanted an excuse.” 

For a while, none of them say anything. “Well, we'll probably have to make a stop again now,” Goofy says eventually, looking towards the window where the damage done is visible. 

A mixture of nerves and excitement twists inside Sora, and he glances back at the both of them. “Okay,” he says, voice quiet. Then, “I'm sorry.” He feels like a kid who got caught with his hand in the cookie jar, but ten times more humiliating. 

Some of the annoyance leaves Donald's expression before he shakes his head. “Just don't do it again,” he decides, but Sora can tell when the apology has been accepted. 

He smiles at his friends, before fixing his posture. “Right. That's the last time I deliberately beat up our ship,” he promises, and feels some of his uneasiness sap away when they both start to laugh. 

The ride back to the garage feels easier than the last. 

-

Sora feels more anxious walking into the workroom now than he has any of the times before. He isn't sure why, but he thinks it's either because Donald and Goofy are trailing behind him, or maybe it's because he doesn't know when he'll see Riku again after this. 

He's pulled from his thoughts when he sees Riku, who looks pleasantly surprised like always to see them. The smile on Sora's face comes instinctively, and he gives him a wave as some of his nerves dissipate. 

“You're back so soon,” Riku says in lieu of a hello, but he doesn't seem upset. His gaze flicks over Sora’s shoulder to where Donald and Goofy are standing behind him. “Is everything okay?” 

_Sure,_ Sora thinks weakly, _I've just been wrecking my ship for like a month so I have an excuse to come back and talk to you._

He doesn't say that, though. Instead he smiles, and tells him the ship needs a couple of tune ups. He thinks maybe he can hear Donald or Goofy stifling a laugh behind him, but he makes a point to not turn back and acknowledge them. 

Sora half-expects Riku to be upset or frustrated, but he smiles just the same as always. He almost looks amused, but before Sora can linger on why Riku says, “Show me the damage,” and gestures for them to start walking ahead of him. 

Once in the garage, Riku immediately begins to assess the ship and the work it needs done. Sora hovers a bit behind him, gnawing on the inside of his cheek as he waits to hear what Riku will say. 

After a while, Riku turns to him and says, “This is pretty impressive.”

Sora lets out a self-conscious laugh. “Yeah, it's… a lot,” he agrees, and can't really bring himself to look him in the eye. He can feel his teammates staring at him, and kind of wishes the floor would open up and swallow him while. 

“What caused all of this this time around?” 

Sora has an answer prepared, of course. He's going to tell Riku about the different heartless they've fought, about the treacherous landscapes they've flown through, and all of his crazy adventures since the last time they were here, and Riku is going to be _so_ impressed.

He doesn't get to say any of that, because Donald pipes up and says, “Sora's been crashing our ship for fun on purpose so he can come see you.” 

Immediately, Riku lifts his head, eyes wide. “Huh?”

Sora definitely doesn't hear what anyone says next because he's too distracted by all the blood that's rushing to his face and making his ears ring. His head snaps towards Donald and Goofy so fast he almost gives himself whiplash, eyes narrowed. He doesn't trust himself to speak, so he hopes that he can convey how dead to him Donald is with his glare alone. 

Donald has the audacity to look smug, even as Goofy drags him out of the garage. He hears Goofy give an excuse as to where they need to be, but Sora doesn't process it the way he should. He feels like the rug has just been ripped out from under him. 

“Sora,” Riku says in front of him, and Sora feels his stomach swoop low in regret. He can't make himself look at him, and when he doesn't answer he tries again. “Sora?” 

In one quick manoeuvre, Sora's turned back to Riku and put a little distance between them. He doesn't know what to say, so he just laughs instead, loud and obviously uncomfortable. 

“Sora,” Riku says again, more firmly this time. From where he has his eyes glued to the floor, Sora can see where Riku takes a few steps closer to him. “Please look at me.” 

As embarrassed as he is, Sora still forces himself to turn his gaze upwards. Riku is closer now, and the look on his face is gentle and kind. When their eyes meet, Riku’s mouth curls into a smile. “Sora,” he repeats, and when Sora lets out a faint noise of affirmation, he asks, “Have you really been wrecking your ship on purpose?”

It sounds so much stupider hearing Riku say it out loud, and Sora feels like his throat is closing up a little. “Maybe?” he says intelligently, and then immediately wishes he had said nothing at all. “Look, I—”

“Have you really been doing it for me?” 

Sora spends a moment grasping for words before he eventually just sighs and whispers, “It seemed like a good idea at the time.” 

He keeps waiting for Riku to get upset, but he miraculously doesn't. “Can I ask why?” 

Sora kind of wishes he was dead, and he covers his face with his hands. Absolutely mortified, he mumbles, “because I kind of like you.” He’s fairly certain that a lifetime's worth of bad karma has just caught up to him, and he wonders if anyone would _really_ miss Donald if he smothered him in his sleep tonight. 

He pushes those thoughts aside momentarily and looks at Riku between his fingers. Shockingly, he doesn't look troubled at all. Sora feels a twinge of something hopeful in his chest. “You're not mad, are you?” 

“Well,” Riku starts with a fond sort of smile, stepping closer to bridge the gap between them. “I don't want to say I'm _glad_ you've been actively putting yourself in danger, but….” 

“But…?” Sora echoes, trying not to sound too optimistic. Riku is much closer now, and he's distantly reminded of that time weeks ago when they compared their heights. 

“But I’ve enjoyed the company,” Riku continues, and reaches a hand up to brush the hair out of Sora's eyes. His heart lurches at the touch. “And I look forward to when you've come by to visit.” 

Sora lets out a breath he didn't realize he was holding, shoulders sagging a bit. “Oh,” he says simply, his chest feeling a little lighter. “That's good.” 

Riku laughs quietly, and Sora manages to smile a little too. “And just for the record, I had my suspicions,” he admits, like it's an afterthought. “But I kind of like you too, so I'll let it slide.” 

His words make Sora's heart skip a beat, and he looks up at Riku in excitement. “Wait, really?” he asks, instinctively reaching out to grab at Riku's shirt. 

The other boy laughs, covering Sora's hands with his own. “Yes, really,” he grins, and Sora feels like he could just dissolve into a pile of goo at the sight of it. “Just promise me you won't do anything like this again. Seriously.” 

“Consider it done,” he promises eagerly, bouncing on his heels in excitement. “If I come again and my ship is damaged, it'll be from a 100% authentic ass kicking.” The two of them dissolve into laughter, loud and genuine. Sora's cheeks hurt from how much he's smiling with it. 

When the laughter dies down, Sora lets out a little sigh of relief. “I feel better now. You always make me feel better, for some reason,” he murmurs, scratching at the side of his cheek. 

Riku looks flustered at the small confession, but he grins nonetheless. “I'm glad to hear that,” he admits, and leans back. “After I finish working on the ship, we can do something more fun, if you want.” 

Sora nods in excitement, dropping his hands back to his sides. “I would really, really like that,” he says earnestly, unable to contain enthusiasm. “And next time I come to visit, it won't be for anything Gummi-related. Hopefully.” 

“Sure,” Riku agrees, eyes shining with an amused twinkle as he watches Sora. He glances back at the ship behind him, and asks, “Do you want to keep me company while I work on it now? Or do you have something else to do first?”

“Well, I was going to kill Donald, but against my better judgement I'll leave him be,” Sora decides, unwilling to pass up the opportunity to spend more time with Riku. He beams when the other boy cracks a smile, unable to stifle his laughter. “He's on thin ice though. Besides, I wrecked my ship for you, after all. The least I can do is help out.” 

“Ah, how gentlemanly of you,” Riku jokes with a roll of his eyes, turning to grab the tools off his desk. 

Sora flashes him a grin, crossing his arms behind his head. “What can I say? At least I have manners,” he teases, following close behind him. 

Together, they crouch down on the floor next to the ship. Riku makes quick work of taking the damaged gummi blocks apart, fingers quick and deft. “So, are you going to tell me what you've been up to while you were gone?” 

With a smile, he begins, “We went to this place called San Fransokyo, and it was the biggest city I think I've ever seen. Or maybe just ever, period.” Riku hums a little in acknowledgement, urging him to continue. “And—get this—they had _robots_.”

“Like, little robots?” Riku asks, uncertain but intrigued. 

Sora shakes his head quickly. He holds his face in palms, elbows balanced on his knees as he watches Riku work. He can’t help how his eyes soften, distracted by how cute Riku is when he’s excited or fascinated.

Later, when Riku slips his palm against Sora’s and locks their fingers as they walk through town, Sora feels luckier than he has in a long time. 

All the worlds still need to be saved, and there is still a lot to do, but in this moment, Sora is content. Selfishly, happily, he thinks that's all that really matters.

**Author's Note:**

> my twitter is @highschooiaus which is where i'm most active! i haven't been posting too much about kingdom hearts because some of my mutuals still havent finished kh3, but i do talk there and rt a lot of cute fanart and stuff. thank you for reading!


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